Stamp-affixing machine.



No. 63|,5l0. Patented Aug. 22, I899. B. W. PABKES.

STAMP AFFIXING MACHINE.

(Application filed Oct. 51, 1898.)

(No Model.)

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' troit, in the county of Wayne and State of forms the platform B, upon which the letters UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT w. PARK-Es, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

QTAMP-AFFIXING MA' CHlN E;

sPEcIrIcA'rIoN forming part of Letters Patent No. 631,510, dated August 22, 18599.

Application filed October 31,1898.

Serial N01 695,068; (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, ROBERT W. PARKES, a citizen of the United States, residing at De- Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stamp-AffixingMachines or Machines of Like Character, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention is primarily intended for affixing postage-stamps, but is equally adapted for fixing stamps or labels of like character; and the invention relates particularly to the improved construction, arrangement, and operation of a moistening-lever, the stamp-mag azine, and of a. gripper-plate for pressing the stamps on the moistened surface of the envelop, all as more fully hereinafter described, and shown in the drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal central section through the machine. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section thereof on line 1 1. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan of the stamp-magazine detached. Fig. 4 is a detached perspective view of the lower portion of the stamp-magazine. Fig. 5 is a section through one wall of the stamp-magazine on line 2 2, Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a cross-section on line 3 3 in Fig. 1, and-Fig. 7 is a horizontal section on line 4 4 in Fig. 6. A is the base upon which the machine is mounted and which upon its upper surface to be stamped are placed, and in which is inserted a rubber pad a directly below the stampmagazine.

C are two vertical standards forming the frame of the machine.

D is a plunger held in vertical guides between the standards.

E is a stamp-magazine detachably mounted to the front of the plunger D by means of a lug b on' the standard, projecting rear wardly into a slot in the plunger and locked therein by means of a spring-latch b.

F is a spring-pressed follower in the stamp magazine.

G is a rod projecting throughthe top of the magazine and to which the follower F is attached.

H is a moistening-lever operating in the space between the two standards and normally projecting with its forward end, which carries a moistening-pad I beneath the stampmagazine.

J is a connecting-rod angularly connecting the moistening-lever and plunger D by suitable pivotal connections a d.

K is an actuating hand-lever provided with forked ends embracing the upper ends of the standards and pivotally secured at e at the top of the standards.

L is the gripper-plate supported on top of the plunger D and projecting with its forward end beneath the arm M of the lever, and N is a spring upholding the gripper-plate.-

O is a retracting-spring mounted in the recesses of the base and secured at f to an arm 9 of the moistening-lever.

The magazine is interiorly provided upon its lower ends with the vertical knife-guides h and h. These knife-guides are of spring metal and provided with shanks extending upwardly into the magazine, to the walls of which they are secured at their upper ends. The knife-guides hare formed with interiorlyinclined projecting cutting edges h and the adj listing-screws it through the walls of the magazine permitting the regulating and adjustment of the knife. The knife-guides h are provided with a cuttingedge h and setscrews h through the walls of the magazine, permitting the independent adjustment of these knives.

i As seenin Fig. 5, the lower end of the magazine and of the knife-guides are formed on a bevel, so that the knife-guides project below the magazine.

. The moistening-lever H forms a hollow receptacle for containing water or other moistening fiuid and can be supplied therewith through a fill-opening i. It is mounted upon a pair-of wheels j, engaging into slidewaysj in the sides of the standard on top of the base.

Thepivotal connection 0 of the connectinglever J is adj ustably secured to the moistening-levers forward of the wheels or fulcrum j of the lever, with the connecting-rod J inclined forwardly. Within the slidewaysj. are adjustably secured the rubber-faced stops or bumpers it, against which the wheels j are drawn by the action of the spring 0.

The gripper plate L has an aperture Z, through which the rod G is adapted to pass loosely, and the rear end of the gripper-plate is provided with a guide-plate m, which is guided by the pin a.

In practice, the parts being arranged as shown and described, the normal position of the parts is as shown in Fig. 1, wherein the spring 0 acts byits tension m ediately through the arm f, lever II, connecting-rod J, plunger D, spring N, and gripper-plate L to uphold the hand-lever K in the elevated position shown. The stamps to be affixed are inclosed in the magazine, which to this end is detached, and by opening the movable slide P, forming one of the walls, areinserted beneath the follower F. The stamping of the envelop is then accomplished by depressing the lever K. In doing this the arm M presses upon the gripper-plate L, which, being supported by the spring N, imparts a downward motion to the plunger D and stamp-recepta: cle and at the same time through the connecting-rod J tilts the lever II so that the spring-pad I will be pressed upon the envelop, and by the further and continued motion it will be pushed rearwardly out of the way of the descendingstamp-receptacle. As soon as this stamp-receptacle has descended upon the top of the envelop its further motion is arrested, but the downward pressure on the lever K being continued the spring N is further compressed, the gripper-plate I, will be tilted back fast on the rod G, and the pressure will be transmitted through the rod G and follower F to the stamps, thereby causing the lower stamp to be firmly pressed upon the moistened portion of the envelop and become fast. Upon releasing the lever the spring 0 returns the parts to their normal position. The knife-guides h 7t are so adjusted that the knives thereof will out into the edges of the stamps and thereby prevent the spring of the follower from pushing the stamp out.- It will be furtherseen that the knife h is shorter than the knives 7L2 and projects farther inward, and additional friction is thus applied to the edges of the lower stamps in the magazine and the edges thereof are curled up, holding them away from the moistened surface on the envelop and preventing any moisture from being drawn up by capillary attraction as the stamps assume a dish-shaped form as they pass out through the lower end of the magazine. By the means provided for adjusting these knives I am enabled to make the receptacle of a size large enough to accommodate all denominations of stamps, some of which are slightly smaller than others. The moistening-lever goes through four different movements. Normally it is held by the spring in the up-tilted position shown in Fig. 1. As soon as the plunger and stampreceptacle, however, begin their descending movement the connecting-rod pressing against the lever H will first tilt it and press the pad I down upon the envelop and then push it rearwardly while in such position against the action of the spring 0. In such rearward movement the pad I will moisten the portion of the envelop where the stamp is to be aflixed and then as the tension of the spring 0 becomes too great the lever will tip up again away from the envelop and continue its rearward movement till the downward movement of the plungerD is completed. As soon as the pressure upon the lever K is removed the spring 0 will return it to its normal position and also carry the lever II forward into its normal position. In its normal position the moistening-lever rests with its rear end upon the base and the wheels j support it at such an incline as to prevent any water from leaking out in front; but during the operation when it is tilted down the water is momentarily brought into contact with the absorbent material forming the pad I, and the same is thus kept moistened. The normal position of the lever 11 may be regulated by the stops 7;, and by adjusting the connection 0 from or toward the fulcrum-that is, the wheelsjthe moistening-pad of the lever can be kept a greater or lesser distance in contact with the envelop during its travel.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is- 1. In a stamp-aflixer, the combination with the frame and plunger operating therein, of a moistening-lever, a slideway in which said lever is free to slide on its fulcrum, actuating connection for sliding the lever one direction by the movement of the plunger, and a retracting-spring for sliding the lever in the opposite direction, the said connection and spring being connected on opposite sides of the fulcrum of the lever and operating to tilt the same during its movement.

2. In a stamp-affixer, a moistening-lever formed hollow and constituting a receptacle for the moistening fluid, a moistening-pad in one end of said lever and with which the moistening fluid is adapted to communicate, a guideway in which said lever is slidingly supported on its fulcrum and actuating connection operating to impart a combined tilting and sliding movement to the lever in its guideway.

3. In a stamp-atlixer, the combination with the frame and plunger operating therein, of a moistening-lever, a slideway in the frame in which said lever is free to travel endwise on its fulcrum and to tilt thereon, a spring connected to one end of said lever, and an actuating connection between the plunger and the other end of the lever and adjustable thereon.

4. In a stamp-aiiixer, the combination with the frame and plunger operating therein, of a moistening-lever, a slideway in the frame in which said lever is free to travel endwise on its fulcrum and to tilt thereon, an adj ustable stop in said guideway, a spring connected to one end of said lever and operating to hold the lever against said stop and an actuating-rod connecting the other end of the lever with the plunger, said connecting-rod having an adjustable connection withthe lever.

5. In a stamp-affixer, the combination with the frame and plunger operating therein, of the magazine affixed to said plunger, the spring-pressed follower in said magazine, the follower-rod,a spring-supported gripper-plate carried by the plunger and adapted to enengage with and grip said follower-rod and an actuating-lever bearing upon the gripperplate.

6. In a stamp-affixer, the combination with the frame and plunger operating therein, of the magazineremovably affixed to said plunger, the spring-pressed follower in said magazine, the follower and the spring-supported gripper-plate adapted to grip the followerrod and the knife-guides in the lower end of the magazine having inwardly-projecting vertical knife-edges.

7. In a stamp-affixer, the combination with the frame and plunger operating therein, of the stamp-magazine removably affixed to said plunger, the spring-pressed follower in said magazine, means for applying power thereto independent of the plunger and the knifegnides having the inwardly-projecting vertical cutting edges and set-screws for adjusting the same.

8. In a stamp-aflixer, the combination with the frame and plunger operating therein, of the stamp-magazine removably affixed to said plunger, the spring-pressed follower in said magazine, means for applying power directly to said follower independently of the plunger, two sets of knife-guides having inwardlyprojecting vertical cutting edges of different length and degrees of projection and the setscrews for adjusting each set independently of the other.

9. In a stamp-affixer, the combination with the frame and plunger operating therein, of the stamp-magazine removably affixed to said plunger and containing the stamps,the springpressed follower in said magazine, the follower-rod, means for applying pressure to said follower-rod independently of the plunger, two sets of knife-guides having inwardly-projecting vertical cutting-blades with inclined knife-edges formed thereon,difieringin length and degree of penetration into the edges of the stamps, and the set-screws for adjusting the degree of penetration of the cutting edges of each set of knife-guides, said cutting edges of the knife-guides projecting beyond the lower edges of the walls of the magazine.

10. In a stamp-affixer,the combination with the frame and plunger operating therein, of

the stamp-magazine open at its lower end,- a spring-pressed follower in said magazine, means for retaining the stamps in said magazine against/the action of said spring, means for actuating the plunger, means for actuating the follower independently of the plunger and a single lever for actuating said plun ger and follower.

11. In astamp-affixing machine, the combination with the frame, of a plunger mounted for vertical reciprocation therein, a stampmagazine carried by said plunger, and a positive feed mechanism for the stamps, comprising a follower arranged within the magazine,

a rod attached to said follower, and a gripperplate for the rod, supported upon the plunger and adapted to actuate the rod independent of said plunger, said plate being normally out of contact with the rod permitting the follower to bear constantly against the stamps.

12. In astamp-affixing machine, the combination with the frame, of a plunger mounted for vertical reciprocation therein, a stampmagazine carried by the plunger, and a positive feed mechanism for the stamps, comprising a follower arranged within the magazine, a rod attached to said follower, a gripperplate for the rod yieldingly supported upon the plunger and adapted to operate the rod independent of the plunger, a spring intermediate the follower and gripping-plate adapted to hold the follower constantly in contact with the stamps, and means for holding the stamps in the magazine against the action of the follower-spring.

13. In a stamp-affiXer,the combination with the frame and plunger operating therein, of a stamp-magazine affixed thereto, a moistening device for the envelop operated by the movement of the plunger in one direction, an actuating-lever for depressing the plunger, a retracting-spring for said plunger and a spring-pressed follower in the magazine,knifeguides in the magazine for retaining the stamps therein against the action of the follower-spring, and a clutch-controlled connection between the actuating-lever and the magazine operating automatically to impart a differential movement to the follower after the plunger is depressed upon the envelop.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ROBERT W. PARKES.

Witnesses:

M. B. ODOGHERTY, O'rro F. BARTHEL. 

